The final rites of an elderly man have remained stalled for more than two days in Rangamatia village under Raibania police limits ofOdisha’sBalasoredistrict, following objections over burial arrangements allegedly linked to his son’s religious conversion.
The deceased, identified as Chhuta Hasanda, died on Wednesday. Since then, his body has been lying at the family residence as no consensus has been reached on the conduct of the last rites.
According to local sources, the deceased’s younger son, Bhim Hasanda, who has converted to Christianity, proposed to bury his father behind their house. However, villagers objected to the plan, opposing burial within the village premises.
Bhima Hansda, the deceased elderly man's son, said, “The villagers did not allow us to perform the last rites in accordance with our religious practices. I proposed placing my father in a coffin and burying him, but that was also opposed.”
As the disagreement escalated, Bhim approached the Raibania police and revenue authorities. Although permission was reportedly granted by officials, the matter remained unresolved as other family members also opposed burying the body in the backyard.
With neither side willing to compromise, the last rites have not been performed, leading to heightened tension in the village. Reports suggest that the family has faced social ostracism following the religious conversion, further complicating efforts to resolve the issue.
Samurai Hansda, village head, said, “They informed us that they had converted to Christianity, and we did not object to them performing the last rites as per their faith. However, they continue to identify themselves as tribals and avail benefits from both communities, which is not acceptable to the villagers.”
The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Jaleswar visited the village, but discussions failed to yield a solution. Villagers have reportedly demanded the presence of the District Collector, insisting that the burial should be conducted at an alternative location.
Subrat Kumar Behera, Jaleswar SDPO, said, “We are making all efforts to ensure that no disturbance or confrontation takes place. The police are on alert and are engaging with both the family and the villagers to facilitate dialogue and reach a peaceful resolution.”
Police personnel have been deployed in the village since Thursday to prevent any law-and-order situation. The SDPO said the matter has been brought to the notice of the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police, and efforts are ongoing to restore normalcy.
The village sarpanch is also engaged in discussions to defuse the situation. However, at the time of reporting, the impasse continued, with the body still lying at the family home and tension persisting in Rangamatia village.
